HOW TO MAKE A BANDED PLEATED SKIRT

Let's take a break and do some free hand cutting shall we? You can download the free PDF on how to make a banded pleated skirt here.

What is pattern making

Theres so much written these days on Pattern drafting and pattern making and I know you are wondering what this whole pattern drafting thing is all about. Pattern drafting is a way of cutting papers (a pattern paper) exactly the way you would cut the cloth using the exact measurements you are given. Pattern drafting is exactly the same as cutting clothes. The only difference is that you cut on paper and not on the fabric directly. 

You can make all your mistakes on the paper and get the chance to correct them on paper before you get to place the pattern paper on a fabric and cut. Voila! Less errors. 
People always believe that it is amateurs that cut paper first before placing the paper on fabric to cut but guess what? They are wrong!! By using patterns, you are less prone to errors than cutting directly on fabric. Pattern making helps you to get a better fitted clothing than 'free hand cutting'. 

You will get to know more about pattern making as we proceed. Don't forget to send in your questions and comments. Do have a lovely day !

PATTERN MAKING FOR THE SHAPELY AFRICAN WOMAN

The book "Pattern making for the shapely African woman" is a book on pattern making techniques especially taking into consideration the unique features and shape of the African women.

The book is a beginners and intermediates guide to cutting in a step wise manner with little or no direction needed. 
The book aims to empower the teaming populace of sewing enthusiasts who wish to learn sewing on a budget, the teaming populace of young mothers who cannot find time to enroll for a proper training course. 
The book aims to erase the stereotypical norm that learners must watch their masters or tuitors as they cut before they could learn to cut themselves.

To place orders for the Softcopy/ebook, follow this link http://selz.co/4ykIaPQlV

Payment is also accepted in other currencies besides the naira.

To Purchase the hardcopy, contact Ebere on 07032113474 or send an email to maisonerex@gmail.com

WHAT TO WEAR WITH A BROWN SKIRT

So I was looking for what to wear with my brown pencil skirt and i ran into this really nice burnt orange top. see photos below.

TOUCHING A LIFE

About two months ago, two women came to see me. the first was a lady who wanted her sister to learn a craft while waiting for her to raise money and send her to a higher institution. The other was a mother whose daughter had just finished her JSCE. She was worried that the holiday was too long and didn't want her daughter roaming about out of boredom; she wanted her daughter to learn sewing while on the vacation that never really seemed to end.
"She would come here by the end of each vacation till she graduates", she began, " if she decides she likes fashion designing, she will go on to study it in a higher institution."
There I was, sitted in front of a truly 37th century mum, mortified, unable to find words to describe her. She hadn't just sat back worrying about her daughter getting in trouble; she had come to do something about it. When I told Maduekwe Ejike Anthony about what had transpired, he asked what planet she had come from. EARTH of course!! LOL.
Last year, our unanticipated fashion prodigy was Charity - a stunted young Hausa girl who had not experienced any formal education for more than 2 years of her life. She could neither read nor write and as such, it was no surprise she could not perform simple arithmetics like division, subtraction and multiplication. She was our little Hajia...a visitor in our midst and she was our project. I too had worried about her for her breasts had begun to grow and she would be seen as a woman ready to be given away in marriage. My heart went out to her and with each effort, I told her just how special she was and encouraged her to challenge the norm. My Charity would someday refute the stereotypical idea that every poor uneducated Hausa girl was good for one thing alone - marriage and baby making. Training Charity was the toughest training experience we ever had; first, she was taught basic arithmetics. Here we were, ready to train a girl on sewing only to find ourselves back in kindergarten. Cut the long story short, we did it! Within two months, charity learned sewing and the funny part is this.... to drive her lessons home, we made her a mini fashion instructor; she would teach the new students how to pedal a sewing machine and as a reward, we would give her fabrics to sew for herself.
News soon came that she would leave and we all waited sadly for the day to come. We would tease her about her endless grammatical errors and she would join in the laughter. it was fun having Charity around and looking back now, I would do it all over again.
As I spoke to her one day, she looked at me and said, " When I go back to my place, I will go to my aunt's place and continue learning how to sew. I will not let them force me to get married and have nine children like my mother. Thanks a lot for teaching me; I will never forget you". A few days later, I tearfully hugged her goodbye but in those tears was the assurance that a life had been touched.

FINDING MY LOST LOVE

What have I missed? So much I guess. Besides the flash of light from my screen on opening to this page, Iv definitely missed the brush of leaves and grasses in the not so thick jungle as Ena and I would make our way to the bush for a rather story telling session. What else have I missed besides standing in front of Ena Nsofors gigantic camera surrounded by lights from a million and one sources, I sure have missed the height of carelessness I felt in front of the camera as I twisted my tiny structure in a thousand and one directions. So, I went into the rocky jungle with my new crush Victor of 3plex images to find my lost love and here we are......Presenting to You the Dress Kadiora as modelled by Eberechi Igwe. I hear my name.

RED BRIDAL RECEPTION DRESS

So when I walked in, lady Melissa had already been stripped naked and pretty bride Oreva already rocking her EREX bridal reception dress rushed to give me a hug. " My dress is sooo beautiful".
It only takes such a beautiful heart to capture a typical Igbo man tribes, miles and tongues away. Happy married life Mrs Oreva igwe

GOLD SEQUIN GOWN

YELLOW BODYCON DRESS

BLUE MERMAID DRESSES

Good morning. Today is really a beautiful day to celebrate beautiful people. On the blog today, we celebrate our amiable fashion student Mrs Marvis. She's not just pretty on the outside. She's got a beautiful heart too

ANKARA MAXI SKIRT

And so today, we bring you yet another classy piece....a product of EREX ACADEMY OF FASHION. Once again I ask, "What does a woman really want?"  here

EBONYI STATE FASHION WEEK + AWARDS

EBONYI STATE IS ON FIRE!!! The entertainment industry in Nigeria's salt state is about to take a new dimension as rexenum consults storms the state with EBONYI STATE FASHION WEEK + AWARDS. It's a gathering like non other ever witnessed in the history of Ebonyi State; a gathering of models, artists, designers and other great talents. The theme of the event is "HARNESSING THE INHERENT TALENTS IN YOUTHS FOR TOURISM PROMOTION THROUGH CREATIVITY AND MODELLING". You sooo dont want to miss this event.Save the date .....SEPTEMBER 6TH,2015 and make sure to keep an appointment with EBONYI STATE FASHION WEEK + AWARDS 2015.
The event is a multifaceted one featuring the following;

• Red carpet reception to be hosted by Denrenle Edun. 
• Miss Tourism Ebonyi beauty pageant
• Designers runway featuring designers from all over the South East if Nigeria
• Music, Dance
• Comedy shows

• Exclusive After party.....and so many other mouth watering packages. 

  Pick your forms for Miss Tourism Ebonyi beauty pageant and stand the chance to become the most celebrated beauty queen in Ebonyi.To register, follow the steps listed below

1. Pay 5000 into Diamond Bank (Account name REXENUM CONSULTS,Account no. 0046597817).
2. With Your teller, obtain the form at either of the following places

• Crunches Fast food (Afikpo road, Abakaliki, Ebonyi state)
• Food Home (Along Enugu Express road Abakaliki, Ebonyi State) 

For inquiries , sponsorship or partnership, call

@rexenumconsults on 08170584300, 09091383541 , BBM: 56996B3F or  send an email to rexenumconsults@gmail.com , info@rexenumconsults.com

Powered by Rexenum Consults Ltd in Collaboration with Ebonyi State Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Facebook.com/maisonerex

EREX ACADEMY OF FASHION

Its a new dawn as MAISON D'EREX launches her Fashion school EREX ACADEMY OF FASHION. The fashion school is a branch of MAISON D'EREX that focuses on empowerment of the teaming populace of fashion lovers across the globe. Its a fashion school like non other; leveraging on the "I CAN" of her students rather than the popular "IQ" mentality. Students are made to undergo 3 to 6 months intensive fashion and designing course by the end of which they come out FASHION PRODIGIES. Newton Paul was right when he said that such a time will come when practically every girl will either be a make up artist or a fashion designer. The difference however, will be seen in the differences in the quality of their work. Our students are perfectionists and are masters at picking out faults and sorting them out no matter how irrelevant they may appear. No form of mediocrity is tolerated and as such , they stand out wherever they find themselves.

EREX ACADEMY OF FASHION organises training at Basic and Advanced training including a combined class (Basic and Advanced).

COURSE DETAILS

Basic Fashion Design (3 & 6 Months)

Mon - Wed |9am - 12pm|  &Evening session |3pm - 6pm|  3 Months

Weekends - Sundays only |12pm - 6pm| 6months

Fees: N30,000

• Fundamentals of Fashion Designing
• Essentials of Fashion Illustration
• Pattern Drafting techniques for clothing construction
• Sewing and clothing construction
• Fashmathics
• Sewing room practicals
• Project work

Advanced Fashion Design (3 months)

 ( Knowledge of Pattern Drafting is required)

Thurs & Fri |12pm - 5pm | 3 months

Fees: N30,000

• Garment Design and production
• Advanced Fashion illustration
• Draping
• Embelishments
• Fashion prom styling
• Principal Pattern Drafting techniques 
• Entrepreneurship and business skills
• Fashion Management
• Sewing room practicals
• Project work

Basic & Advanced Fashion Design (Combined 3 & 6 Months )

Mon - Fridays:  Morning session| 9am - 12pm|  & Evening Session | 3pm - 6pm|

Fees :    N60,000

Course content is made up of a combination of Basic and Advanced modules

NEW SESSION COMMENCES ON THE 10TH OF AUGUST 2015

___________________________________________________________________________________

More information .....FAQ's

• Can  a novice without any knowledge at all learn sewing in 3 months? ANSWER: YES. We makes it a lot easier for our students to flow. Students are first taken through the rudiments of fashion and designing and then guided gradually to excellence.
• What is the training method? 90% Practicals, 10% theory. 
• Who can apply for the training? Anyone who is passionate about fashion and designing. Irrespective of your vocation, we have training programmes structured specifially to suit you. 
• Do I need to come with my training materials? All required training materials will be provided except materials which will be used for the project work.
• Where is the training going to hold?  For those in Ebonyi State, it will hold at 17 udude street, off Ezza road, Abakaliki. For other students in other states, the  centres will be communicated very soon. However, you could apply for our online course by sending an email to maisonerex@gmail.com 
• How can I register for the training? Obtain Registration forms at our offfice,  fill out the form, attach one passport photograph and the make fee payments at the office. 

Participants who have successfully met all graduation criterial will be issued Certificates of Competence

The overall best graduating student leaves with a brand new sewing machine.

For more information, call the head office of MAISON D'EREX ON 08024427434 or 07032113474. You could also send an email to maisonerex@gmail.com

HOME COMING OF EBONYI STARS

Its a beautiful day to talk about stars. It's even more beautiful when the stars are such great names to be reckoned with. Have you heard about Cha Cha Eke? Diamond Igwe? Chizzy Alichi? My best guess is that you are saying ...."sounds familiar" right now. Have you heard about popular movie maker and actor Andy Chukwu? (Who hasn't?) Have you heard about about AHBU VENTURES....the confidential marketer of such big names as Tuface Idibia and P-square? How about popular Christ embassey gospel singer SINACH? I guess at this point I see you asking "WHO HASN'T?". Well, if paradventure you happen not to be so into gospel music as to know, am sure that you for one know PATORANKING  of FOSTON MUSIK. It isn't just about dropping names; these big names are coming home. Guess what home they have in common? EBONYI STATE. It's going to be the biggest event of the year as EBONYI STATE the salt of the nation  welcomes home her stars in grande style. The HOMECOMING of EBONYI STARS is an event set up by EBONYI STATE MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM IN CONJUNCTION WITH WALKING MAN MEDIA to;

1. YOU SOO DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS, PREPARE FOR A DINNER WITH YOUR STARS!!!!Sincerely express appreciation for the success and recognition her stars have garnered in the entertainment sector and the honour  that their efforts have brought to the state.
2. use  the media attention on her stars to showcase tourism in EBONYI STATE and facilitate development by attracting investors into the sector, developing local capacity to host events through the home coming event.
3. initiate a platform for unleashing creativity inherent in our youth, through youth empowerment, talent discovery and development.
4. encourage and build confidence in her youth.
5. beginning the process of branding a new EBONYI STATE. 

Facebook.com/DiscoverEbonyi

DISCOVER EBONYI

I get embarrassed each time I tell someone that I am an Ebonyian and he or she says..."You don't look like 'them' ", just after he is done giving me that look that you give people who have shit all over them but don't smell like it...just yet. When they say that to you, its not a complement; its an insult. Kindly ask them what 'THEY' look like and you will be amazed at how you are perceived as an Ebonyian. Ebonyians are uncivilized, unpolished , bla bla bla. And they give you that look and say...."but you are TUSH, unlike 'THEM' ". And I ask, "What da heck is TUSH?" He looks down on me and realises that an EBONYIAN is not supposed to be polished enough to know what 'TUSH' means. You are an Ebonyian after-all, and a fruit never falls far from it's tree. They make you feel inferior for being an EBONYIAN simply because you don't have the vaguest idea who you really are. If you think that there is nothing to pride oneself about being an Ebonyian, think again. Discover Ebonyi . Discover Ebonyi at 
www.facebook.com/DiscoverEbonyi

ANKARA BABY DRESSES

THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS

Good morning guys, I just made this cute EREX Bodycon black dress and its on sale right now at the EREX STORE. To buy, call 08024427434 or 07032113474. Email maisonerex@gmail.com Available in sizes 12, 14 and 16. ITS CLASSY, ITS SUAVE....ITS EREX. Keep your orders coming . http://www.facebook.com/maisonerex

 

HOW TO SEW A BRA CUP INTO A DRESS

Imagine walking into a cocktail party and seeing this gorgeous lady with a jaw dropping dress; you approach her to ask who designed her dress and just then you see this beautiful bra strap showing but this time around, its not flattering. It makes a flat mockery of the entire dress; the lady behind gently tucks in the part of the bra showing just behind and "miss gorgeous" blushes, embarrassment written all over her. You gently walk past her, disappointed. Well, I've had quite a number of such episodes myself and you can only imagine how much shame I felt in such moments.To a lot of my dresses, I hold a deep sentimental attachment; one of such dresses is a prom dress I  bought back in the years when  I wanted to be a beauty queen. It's a beautiful orange dress that saved me the stress of putting on a bra and of course, the embarrassment of someone pointing my straying bra strap especially while on stage. Anyway, i just recently made a dress to which I had to add a bra cup; I strongly feel I need to share my little knowledge on bra cups with you on my page considering just what I went through to source for the "how to". Do well not to skip any steps so that you will understand it better. 

 TOOLS
Scissors, bra cups, dress pattern, choice fabrics, sewing thread with a matching colour, office pins.

Bracups

Thread of matching colour

Scissors

STEP 1
If you are using a pattern,  cut the choice fabric using the pattern and join the pieces. Cut the lining for the dress and join exactly thesame way as you did the main fabric.

Backside of the joined pieces of fabric.

STEP2

On the lining, find out the exact position of the underbust and mark with a chalk. You can find out by placing on a mannequin and observing where the bust stops. you can also find out by placing the dress on your chest and make sure you do this wearing a bra. This will enable you to note the exact point your bra stops under your bust; this is your underbust position. 

Underbust position lined with a chalk.

STEP3

Note the centre point of the front piece as shown above; mark with a chalk and draw the line down. Place the bracup on the underbust line as shown above. The bra cups should be separated from each other by a distance of not more than 1 inch. That is, each bracup should have a distance of 1/2 (half) inch from the centre line.

STEP4

Secure the position of the bra cup with office pins as shown on the  left bra cup  as shown on the STEP 2 image above.

STEP 5

Sew as shown below

I usually prefer not to sew round the bracup because that would entail having to cut the other side of the lining open and this gives a very untidy finishing. for this reason, i prefer to leave the uppermost side of the bra cup unsown to the fabric to allow for ease of movement of the bust.

STEP 6

Join the lining to the main fabric and sew together

The other side of the lining after attaching the bracup

Nudging

Well, this is what the front piece looked like when i was done with it. 

I DO HOPE THIS TUTORIAL HAS  BEEN HELPFUL. I KNOW THE PHOTOS ARE NOT VERY CLEAR BUT I PROMISE TO USE BRIGHTER FABRICS AND HIGHER QUALITY PHOTOS SUBSEQUENTLY. LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS IN THE COMMENT COLUMN BELOW. FOR MORE INQUIRIES AND TUTORIALS, SEND YOUR EMAILS TO maisonerex@gmail.com. Check out our fb page on www.facebook.com/maisonerex or follow us on twitter @maisonerex.

www.facebook.com/maisonerex

HOPELESS DIARIES

When the strength goes away, when hope is lost, when the heart is chilled till its frozen, when the rising of the sun appears like the rise of affliction, when life loses its taste, when beauty is lost in ashes, when the morrow seems so far away, there still remains that little piece of candle burning. For me, its passion; for me, its desire and an expectation in the future....even though not so close. Of the things I cherish, I cherish the bright colours of fabrics for they inspire me. In certain moments when the day seems bleak and the night so dark, the bright colours of the fabrics remind me of a better tomorrow. The  bright colours of the fabrics make my heart wonder and soar in a world inexistent.  When the diaries speak hopeless, I aspire to inspire for in the moment when hope is drained, I've got this little light and am gonna let it shine.

.

WHEN A MAN GRABS THE SKIRT

Today is a Friday; I know that you know but I want to remind you. True, today is a Friday and today, the winner of the tulle dress carts away the highly coveted price from my last post.

What was my question again? 1) Tell me what a tulle is. 2) Tell me what part of the dress posted is a tulle…the skirt or the gown.

ANWERS

1)      A tulle is a lightweight very fine netting, which is often starched. It can be made of various fibres, including silk, nylon and rayon (Wikipedia).

2)      The skirt.

Well, based on the answers above, the winner from the blog question is Christopher Charles who answered both questions correctly.

CHRISTOPHER CHARLES’ ANSWERS

1)      It is a nylon or silk net or sheer  that is mostly used for veils or ballet costumes

2)      This transparent/see through net is worn on the outside of the skirt from the waist down.

I hope the answers speak for themselves. Meanwhile, here are some of my shots from Studio B2B photo workshop. I met a wonderful model who has more selfies than anyone I have met my entire lifetime. She’s totally loveable. I won’t share her shots for now but expect them soooooon.

FREE DRESSESS

Sometime last week, I made a post about a giveaway coming to you from MAISON D’EREX. Now it here, live on the blog. Today on the blog  www.maisonerex.blogspot.com  is the DRESS CESSIDA. It aint just a dress actually; there are two parts to it- a dress and a skirt. For this week, we will be giving out the part of the dress that is a tulle. All you have to do to qualify for the giveaway is;

1)   Tell us what a tulle is….no much talk. You can google it

2)   Tell us what part of the dress is a tulle.

3)   All posts should be made in the blog www.maisonerex.blogspot.com on the comment column below any of the CESSIDA dress pictures